2nd Base job

[NorthSideSox72]

According to whitesox.com, the field of 4 has narrowed to 2 - Uribe and Ramirez. Richar's late arrival, health and performance seem to be giving him a ticket to the bench or Charlotte.

 

The poll topic is... who would you like to see starting at 2B, as of right now?

 

Discuss...

[shipps]

Give me Ramirez,he will give you more bang for your buck.He is a Cuban he knows how to play baseball,he will learn the position quickly.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

Please, No Uribe.

[Balta1701]

Unfortunately, with Richar's injury issues...the correct answer for now is Uribe. But with a very short leash.

 

And we should make every effort to set up a middle infield of Alexei and Danny next year.

[GoSox05]

I don't think Alexei Ramirez is ready to take on the job full time. I think he need's more time playing 2B.

 

I think Uribe will be on a very short leash. I could see Richar back there sometime this year.

[Balta1701]

I don't think Alexei Ramirez is ready to take on the job full time. I think he need's more time playing 2B.

 

I think Uribe will be on a very short leash. I could see Richar back there sometime this year.

If may rolls around and Uribe is hitting his classic .200, and either Alexei or Danny are putting up solid numbers in AAA, I don't think that the team can avoid making the change.

[Whitewashed in '05]

If may rolls around and Uribe is hitting his classic .200, and either Alexei or Danny are putting up solid numbers in AAA, I don't think that the team can avoid making the change.

Normally, yes, but you know Ozzie won't make the change because of "a bad start" as he would put it.

 

I like a Alexei a lot, but some time in AAA won't hurt him. Especially since we did trade away a top prospect for Richar to rot in AAA. Give him his chance.

[Balta1701]

Normally, yes, but you know Ozzie won't make the change because of "a bad start" as he would put it.

 

I like a Alexei a lot, but some time in AAA won't hurt him. Especially since we did trade away a top prospect for Richar to rot in AAA. Give him his chance.

I don't want Danny rotting in AAA, but I want Danny struggling with injuries in the big leagues even less. He's missed something like half of training camp. There's little reason to push him for now.

 

Hopefully if Uribe does pull his usual horrendous performance out of the bag, his days starting are numbered very quickly.

[harfman77]

I am going stick with Uribe now as well. You give Danny some time in either extended spring training or in Charlotte to get in shape and bounce back from his injury. In the meantime you get Alexei plugged in as the teams SS next season so he should be playing the position this year and getting as many at bats against American pitching as possible, and that would mean Charlotte for him as well. Hopefully Uribe can show something that will increase his value and we can move him in May or June when someone gets injured and bring Danny back up. Depending on what happens with OCab next years IF will be very young.

[Balta1701]

I am going stick with Uribe now as well. You give Danny some time in either extended spring training or in Charlotte to get in shape and bounce back from his injury. In the meantime you get Alexei plugged in as the teams SS next season so he should be playing the position this year and getting as many at bats against American pitching as possible, and that would mean Charlotte for him as well. Hopefully Uribe can show something that will increase his value and we can move him in May or June when someone gets injured and bring Danny back up. Depending on what happens with OCab next years IF will be very young.

If Uribe "Increases his value" then that means he's performing at a significantly better level than what he played at last year, which probably is helping the team win a lot of games. Ergo, he will not be moved in May or June unless a lot of other people implode.

[Felix]

Ramirez please. I really don't want to see Uribe starting again, especially when Ramirez has looked so good thus far in the spring.

[harfman77]

If Uribe "Increases his value" then that means he's performing at a significantly better level than what he played at last year, which probably is helping the team win a lot of games. Ergo, he will not be moved in May or June unless a lot of other people implode.

 

I am still not really buying into the pitching staff holding up very well once the season starts, especially 3-5. I am open to being pleasantly surprised, but I think in June you will see one of the starters sent to the bullpen and Freddy Garcia back in a Sox uniform. It will also depend how Richar does in Charlotte to that point, there is no sense keeping someone who you know will not be back next season if you have a guy who is showing he is ready. If Richar struggles, that is another story.

[iamshack]

I think you've got to start Uribe.

 

My issue with Ramirez is that he's not ready to play second base on the mlb level yet. We've heard from Ozzie that he probably isn't ready yet, and I've also heard from a good source who saw him in camp that Ramirez looks really raw defensively at both 2b and CF. So I've got to believe he probably needs more time at 2b in Charlotte.

 

The other issue is this: Do we want to spend valuable time with Alexei learning 2b when he might not even have a future at that position? I'd really like him to shore up his skills at ss, but then again, we're not sure if OCab is going to be brought back long-term or not. If the organization forsees OCab as our long-term ss, than Ramirez needs to be spending all of his time developing at a position he will actually be playing.

 

But if that is 2b and not ss, than the question is what is Richar's future?

 

This is a pretty tough call considering we have some options that need to be played out and worked out at all 3 of Ramirez's potential positions, and yet, he really needs to develop at one of them to be the best player he can be for us.

 

Yes, I know that the MI positions are such that he could develop the necessary skills for both of them, but I'd rather he work on one and really get strong there since he is supposedly fairly raw at all three as of right now.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I don't want Danny rotting in AAA, but I want Danny struggling with injuries in the big leagues even less. He's missed something like half of training camp. There's little reason to push him for now.

 

Hopefully if Uribe does pull his usual horrendous performance out of the bag, his days starting are numbered very quickly.

Definitely agree with you. Uribe should be pulled unless he reverses his downward trend.

[SoxFan1]

Give me Sexi Lexi, or give me death!

[Balta1701]

I think you've got to start Uribe.

 

My issue with Ramirez is that he's not ready to play second base on the mlb level yet. We've heard from Ozzie that he probably isn't ready yet, and I've also heard from a good source who saw him in camp that Ramirez looks really raw defensively at both 2b and CF. So I've got to believe he probably needs more time at 2b in Charlotte.

 

The other issue is this: Do we want to spend valuable time with Alexei learning 2b when he might not even have a future at that position? I'd really like him to shore up his skills at ss, but then again, we're not sure if OCab is going to be brought back long-term or not. If the organization forsees OCab as our long-term ss, than Ramirez needs to be spending all of his time developing at a position he will actually be playing.

 

But if that is 2b and not ss, than the question is what is Richar's future?

 

This is a pretty tough call considering we have some options that need to be played out and worked out at all 3 of Ramirez's potential positions, and yet, he really needs to develop at one of them to be the best player he can be for us.

 

Yes, I know that the MI positions are such that he could develop the necessary skills for both of them, but I'd rather he work on one and really get strong there since he is supposedly fairly raw at all three as of right now.

If the Sox think they have something useful in both Ramirez and Richar...which by every account they seem to...then the right move is to play Alexei at SS and Danny at 2nd base to start the season in AAA. Hell, not only would they be working on the positions where we'd expect them to play, we'd have next year's double play combo working together.

 

IF Ramirez is as good as people seem to think he can be, then given the fact that we have no other SS anywhere near ready, he absolutely has to be put in that position to prepare for next year. Worst case scenario, one of them, either Danny or Alexei flops this year. The solution to that can be met with money; we will have an easy ability to offer arbitration to Uribe and OCab this offseason and can put our efforts towards signing one of them if needed. Hopefully neither one will need to be signed, and that will set us up as having an infield in 09 with Fields, Ramirez, and Richar...making something like $3 million between them, which, compared to the $18 million or so we're spending on Crede, OCab, and Richar this year...leaves us plenty of money to go after someone like Captain Cheeseburger or another starting pitcher next offseason if that's where we choose to move.

[shipps]

I think you've got to start Uribe.

 

My issue with Ramirez is that he's not ready to play second base on the mlb level yet. We've heard from Ozzie that he probably isn't ready yet, and I've also heard from a good source who saw him in camp that Ramirez looks really raw defensively at both 2b and CF. So I've got to believe he probably needs more time at 2b in Charlotte.

 

The other issue is this: Do we want to spend valuable time with Alexei learning 2b when he might not even have a future at that position? I'd really like him to shore up his skills at ss, but then again, we're not sure if OCab is going to be brought back long-term or not. If the organization forsees OCab as our long-term ss, than Ramirez needs to be spending all of his time developing at a position he will actually be playing.

 

But if that is 2b and not ss, than the question is what is Richar's future?

 

This is a pretty tough call considering we have some options that need to be played out and worked out at all 3 of Ramirez's potential positions, and yet, he really needs to develop at one of them to be the best player he can be for us.

 

Yes, I know that the MI positions are such that he could develop the necessary skills for both of them, but I'd rather he work on one and really get strong there since he is supposedly fairly raw at all three as of right now.

Secondbase will be the future position for Ramirez, not CF.For the most part he has already shored up his skills at SS.He isnt young he has played alot of baseball already,this isnt some long term project kind of player.

[iamshack]

If the Sox think they have something useful in both Ramirez and Richar...which by every account they seem to...then the right move is to play Alexei at SS and Danny at 2nd base to start the season in AAA. Hell, not only would they be working on the positions where we'd expect them to play, we'd have next year's double play combo working together.

 

IF Ramirez is as good as people seem to think he can be, then given the fact that we have no other SS anywhere near ready, he absolutely has to be put in that position to prepare for next year. Worst case scenario, one of them, either Danny or Alexei flops this year. The solution to that can be met with money; we will have an easy ability to offer arbitration to Uribe and OCab this offseason and can put our efforts towards signing one of them if needed. Hopefully neither one will need to be signed, and that will set us up as having an infield in 09 with Fields, Ramirez, and Richar...making something like $3 million between them, which, compared to the $18 million or so we're spending on Crede, OCab, and Richar this year...leaves us plenty of money to go after someone like Captain Cheeseburger or another starting pitcher next offseason if that's where we choose to move.

 

That would be the ideal situation- starting Richar and Ramirez at Charlotte and get them accustomed to working together. But from what I understand, Kenny has all intentions of signing OCab long-term. I guess a lot of this does depend on whether or not the team plays well, what kind of year OCab has, how healthy he is, etc.

 

[iamshack]

Secondbase will be the future position for Ramirez, not CF.For the most part he has already shored up his skills at SS.He isnt young he has played alot of baseball already,this isnt some long term project kind of player.

 

If you believe that, than what is the future for Richar? Another team? Utility man? Car salesman?

[shipps]

If you believe that, than what is the future for Richar? Another team? Utility man? Car salesman?

If Richar can step it up he will get that future 2b spot and Ramirez can go back to his natural position SS and you wont need to resign OCab and give him big money.

[Balta1701]

That would be the ideal situation- starting Richar and Ramirez at Charlotte and get them accustomed to working together. But from what I understand, Kenny has all intentions of signing OCab long-term. I guess a lot of this does depend on whether or not the team plays well, what kind of year OCab has, how healthy he is, etc.

There is no reason at all to sign OC long term until at least midseason, and then only if one of the 2 guys I just mentioned has flopped and Uribe has been his usual .220 self. Regardless of what KW has said, the right move now that we have Ramirez is to wait.

[iamshack]

There is no reason at all to sign OC long term until at least midseason, and then only if one of the 2 guys I just mentioned has flopped and Uribe has been his usual .220 self. Regardless of what KW has said, the right move now that we have Ramirez is to wait.

 

Well I personally don't see any reason to sign OC long-term regardless, but they seem quite impressed with his leadership ability and intangibles. I guess if Ramirez is really tearing it up in Charlotte than that opinion could change. And while it would pain me to think we traded Garland for such little pt out of OC, you can't be stubborn and continue to make more mistakes to try and justify a previous one.

 

The best thing in that scenario would probably be to just let OC walk and take the picks.

[Balta1701]

Well I personally don't see any reason to sign OC long-term regardless, but they seem quite impressed with his leadership ability and intangibles. I guess if Ramirez is really tearing it up in Charlotte than that opinion could change. And while it would pain me to think we traded Garland for such little pt out of OC, you can't be stubborn and continue to make more mistakes to try and justify a previous one.

 

The best thing in that scenario would probably be to just let OC walk and take the picks.

Which would mean to me that we traded Garland to: Save a couple million $, get an extra late first/early 2nd round pick, and clear space to give our young pitchers a solid tryout. I think all of those are positive things.

[iamshack]

Which would mean to me that we traded Garland to: Save a couple million $, get an extra late first/early 2nd round pick, and clear space to give our young pitchers a solid tryout. I think all of those are positive things.

 

The most important thing would probably be to buy some time for Ramirez to hone his skills at ss, even though that wasn't a consideration when the deal was made, obviously.

[beck72]

I think Uribe gets the nod as starting 2b. Richar needs to get some time in AAA to get healthy. Ramirez should also go to AAA to get regualr playing time-either in CF, 2b, SS or all three. I don't buy him staying with the sox on the bench. If Uribe isn't cutting it, let him go and bring up one of the two.